Hang on to your Airman Battle Uniform, because the creation of a joint camo pattern is just a rumor.
There’s been talk for years about each branch of the military switching to the same uniform pattern, but Army Command Sgt. Maj. John Wayne Troxell dismissed the idea during an Air Force Association conference panel on Wednesday.
The senior enlisted adviser to the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff gave a definite “no” when asked if the rumors of a joint uniform were true.
“When you talk war-fighting domains, fighting in the air is completely different than fighting in the maritime” or ground domains, he said.
The standard principles of war still apply, but each service has a different culture and way of doing business, he said.
“In some war-fighting environments, like in Afghanistan, we try to get people in the same uniform because of the terrain,” Troxell said. “But in the end, what’s worn on those uniforms is dictated by the service.”
Troxell, who has served in the Army for 35 years, said distinct uniforms also affect a service’s culture.
Switching to a joint pattern would “lose that kind of identity that brings espirit de corps and morale,” he said. “We got to make sure first and foremost that the men and women are proud to be what they are.”
Charlsy is a Reporter and Engagement Manager for Military Times. Email her at cpanzino@militarytimes.com.
